Egypt has become the second African country to deposit its instrument of ratification of the OAU convention on the prevention and combating of terrorism, reported Panafrican News agency.

In a statement issued in Addis Ababa Tuesday, the OAU said that Cairo's ratification instrument was handed over on Monday to the secretary general, Salim Ahmed Salim by Egyptian ambassador to Ethiopia, Marawan Zaki Badr.

The convention was adopted by the 35th OAU summit in July 1999 in Algiers, Algeria.

Algeria was the first member state to deposit the instrument of ratification of the convention, which requires the deposit of 15 instruments of ratification to enter into force.

Both Egypt and Algeria are fighting hard to curb terrorist attacks that have claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Algerians, and harmed tourism in Egypt after Islamists targeted tourists in their deadly attacks – Albawaba.com